Don’t look down! World’s scariest hikes

Don’t look down! World’s scariest hikes
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38540751/ns/travel-active_travel/

His left hand clutching rock, a foot searching for purchase on an icy plank below, writer and TV host Robin Esrock looked down from his precipitous position on China’s Mount Huashan. A spiraling fall, hundreds of feet to a canyon floor, would be the result of any misstep.

“This is the moment where I’ve officially lost my mind,” he said, recording his adventure with a handheld camera.

The Mount Huashan trail, popular with domestic tourists, trudges up steep staircases cut into rock. It climbs ladders bolted into stone. Eventually, it becomes a dicey balancing act where hikers traverse a vertical face on wooden planks fastened to a sheer cliff wall. Esrock hiked and ascended for hours to complete the route and reach a temple at the peak.

(via Instapaper)

Nice article for those who like to take hikes and are looking for something adventurous. 

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Your in-flight mag – electronically

Your in-flight mag – electronically
http://vne-resource.iol.co.za/r.php?artid=5577768&sectid=2883&url=ioltravel&vne=1&csect=IOLTravelHome

Singapore – Singapore Airlines said on Friday it is to introduce an electronic version of its in-flight magazines as part of its plans for paperless planes.

The carrier said it had engaged SmarttPapers Aviation Ltd to convert three magazines – SilverKris, KrisShop and KrisWorld – into digital format and integrate them into the in-flight entertainment system.

Two Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will begin to offer the new feature from Saturday. The digital magazines will then be rolled out across the fleet.

Posted via email from SA Flights and Travel

Staying fit while away from home

Travel fitness: Staying fit while away from home
http://www.gadling.com/2010/07/28/travel-fitness-staying-fit-while-away-from-home/

So, you’ve been exercising regularly but now you have a trip coming up and you don’t want to lose your momentum. Obviously, you’re not going to be able to pack your bicycle, yoga mat, or weight set along but, while you may have to modify your exercise approach, there’s no reason to abandon your workouts entirely. Here is some great travel gear that helps me stay in shape while away from home.

(via Instapaper)

It’s always good to stay in shape no matter where you are. This article has some nice tips about fitness “on the go”.

Posted via email from SA Flights and Travel

Hilton and Marriott plan SA hotel expansions

Hilton and Marriott plan SA hotel expansions
http://iolproperty.co.za/roller/news/entry/hilton_and_marriott_plan_sa

Two large international hotel groups are planning expansions into South Africa following the success of the World Cup.

Hilton Worldwide is setting up a development office in Cape Town and intends to open hotels in all the main cities in this country.

It is headed by Derek Anderson, the newly appointed vice-president of development for sub-Saharan Africa, who will be looking for local partners to develop new hotels or to manage existing hotels.

The second hotel group, Marriott International, is in talks for a possible hotel in Johannesburg and is looking for other opportunities in South Africa.

(via Instapaper)

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Air travel – Margate flights?

Air travel – Margate flights?
http://www.fm.co.za/Article.aspx?id=116389

A new charter air route flying directly from cities around SA to Margate on the KwaZulu Natal south coast is being considered, following talks between the Hibiscus Coast municipality and Comair, operator of British Airways and kulula charter flights.

South Coast Tourism CEO Michael Bertram describes the talks as “promising” and says a forum is to be established to involve all stakeholders .

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Australian caves offer new tour — in Klingon

Australian caves offer new tour — in Klingon
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38428512/ns/travel-destination_travel/

SYDNEY — Staff at the Jenolan Caves west of Sydney have added a new out-of-this-world attraction — a tour in the Star Trek language Klingon.

Currently a self-guided audio tour at the caves in the Blue Mountains is offered in eight languages, but staff came up with the idea of adding the fictional language Klingon as the caves did once feature in the popular TV series.

“In the Star Trek universe, Jenolan Caves was first immortalized in the Next Generation episode ‘Relics,’ through the naming of a ‘Sydney Class’ Starship — the USS Jenolan,” the Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust said in a statement.

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In-flight web for Cathay

In-flight web for Cathay
http://lifestyle.iafrica.com/content_feed/telkom/2538599.htm

Cathay Pacific has announced plans to fit its entire fleet with full broadband Internet access, a mobile phone service and even live television.

In a deal with Panasonic Avionics, the eXConnect broadband system will have speeds of up to 50 megabytes on the Hong Kong flag-carrier’s aircraft by early 2012. Flights will also have a call and data service for mobile phones.

The system will be accessible through all passenger devices and seatback screens and will include a range of content updated during the flight, plus live television with a pay-per-view capability for special events.

Posted via email from SA Flights and Travel

KZN most popular destination

KZN most popular destination
http://www.fin24.com/Economy/KZN-most-popular-destination-20100727

KwaZulu-Natal remains the province of preference for domestic travel, the second Statistics SA domestic tourism survey revealed on Tuesday. The province generated 21.2% of tourist arrivals in general and had the highest proportion of overnight trips with 22.7%, the survey found.

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London takes its food scene underground

London takes its food scene underground
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38429693/ns/travel-destination_travel/

LONDON — On a balmy summer Sunday, Tim Scorer and his girlfriend Emma Jarvis welcome brunch guests to their spacious London flat.

After greeting them, the couple direct their visitors to the garden — a stunning space outfitted with a wood-fired oven — for cocktails and mingling. The scene looks like a typical gathering among friends, except that none of the guests has ever met the young hosts before.

Sayer and Jarvis run The Old Hat Club, one of London’s latest underground restaurants. These supper clubs, which grew from a handful a year ago to close to 100 today, are becoming a favored way for London hipsters to satisfy their exacting palates.

They are part of the British capital’s vibrant underground scene, which ranges from word-of-mouth dance clubs to booze-filled nights where trendy Londoners play Rebel Bingo, a raucous version of the old-fashioned game, on a dance floor throbbing with heavy metal music.

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Best countries for solo travelers

Best countries for solo travelers
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38417741/ns/travel-active_travel/

There are many travelers who claim that traveling alone is the best way to see the world.

You deliberately travel solo, they say, because you want to experience the world without the influence of a friend or partner’s tastes, prejudices, or preferences. When you’re with a companion, it’s easy to focus on that person and forget about meeting other travelers. Traveling alone, you’re more likely to be on a voyage of self-discovery.

Posted via email from SA Flights and Travel